Life after cancer

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Survivorship issues take center stage at 'Moving Beyond Cancer to Wellness'

Photo by Dean Forbes In his keynote address, Lance Armstrong Foundation president and three-time cancer survivor Doug Ulman called cancer-survivor advocacy 'a defense of our nation's health.'

Talk of a nationwide "survivorship movement" and its growing influence was a recurring theme at the first general-education event of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Survivorship Program held June 23 in Pelton Auditorium.

"The human spirit is capable of so much if we just reach," said Doug Ulman, president of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, calling cancer-survivor advocacy "a defense of our nation's health." Ulman gave the keynote address for the event, "Moving Beyond Cancer to Wellness," which attracted about 280 former patients, friends and family members.

"We should all be excited about the increasing number of survivors," said Ulman of the more than 10 million people in the United States who have had cancer. "But along with that comes many challenges. If we aren't focused on cancer survivors' high quality of life, then we're doing everyone a disservice."

When he was a sophomore in college, Ulman learned he had chondrosarcoma (a cancer of the cartilage). Shortly thereafter, doctors twice diagnosed and successfully treated him for melanoma. Aghast at what he called a complete lack of resources and information for youthful cancer patients, Ulman went on to create a cancer fund for young adults and advocate for that group at the Armstrong Foundation.

Safeguarding quality of life

The Foundation's emphasis on survivorship research through the Center and other partners will play a key role in safeguarding future patients' quality of life, Ulman said. "When we track survivors through research, the result will be primary-care physicians knowing what to do, based on the treatment histories of their patients. Another result will be that patients will have more knowledge and control of their own health information."

The event's morning breakout sessions focused on survivorship topics including cognitive function/memory, fear of recurrence, fatigue/pain, insurance and employment issues. Among the presenters were Dr. Debra Friedman, Survivorship Program director, and Co-Director Dr. Karen Syrjala.

The closing address featured former Hutchinson Center transplant patient Bob Kiesendahl, recipient of the 2006 LIVESTRONG™ survivor award from the Armstrong Foundation, who also cited the national trend toward addressing survivorship needs.

"Today's validation of survivors' needs represents a huge milestone in the fight against cancer," he said. "Survivorship programs are so necessary to see us all through the next stages of our lives."

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